About Adoption UK

Mission Statement
Adoption UK helps to make adoptions work and promotes loving and supportive relationships between children and their adoptive families. It provides independent support, information and advice on good practice to all concerned with adoption. In particular, it offers a wealth of relevant experience from generations of adoptive families to prospective and established adopters and to all those who work with them.

Adoption UK was established in 1971 and is the only national self-help charity run by and for adoptive parents and foster carers, offering support before, during and after adoption.

Our membership represents a diverse range of adoptive parents and families, including couples, single parents, BME families, lesbian and gay adopters and families with disabilities. Whether you are considering adoption, going through the process or established as an adoptive family, Adoption UK will support and encourage you.

“I am SO impressed by your work and your whole program! What a difference you make for so many children!” – Nancy Thomas, Therapeutic Parenting Specialist

Adoption UK is a charity registered in England and Wales, and Scotland. It is also registered as an Adoption Support Agency in England, required to comply with government regulations and National Minimum Standards laid down by Ofsted, and is subject to inspection at least once every three years.

Read the 2007 Inspection Report

Support services for Adoption UK members

Becoming a member of Adoption UK provides access to a whole range of support services including our helpline, local support groups, Adoption Today and Children Who Wait magazines, discounts on training courses and publications, lending library, contact networks and PAL database of adoptive parents.
Find out more… 

The Online Community
Adoption UK’s Online Community was launched in 2003. It won the Charity Website of the Year Award the following year and was short-listed for the Best Use of Technology Award in 2007. It provides information and support to more than 12,000 adopters and prospective adopters and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Find out more…

The next page includes downloadable versions of Adoption UK's policies...